Either starting at a new school or a new job we all have a fear and nervous feeling when starting something new. You usually meet a friend the first day and most likely cling to each other for a safety net until you can get your feet on the ground. When God asked me to take time a part from YWAM and be a part of Adventures in Missions this is what I felt. What if I don’t make any friends, what if no one likes me, what if I’m the “weird” one? There were so many questions and concerns going through my head but as soon as I arrived at the airport I was met with a sweet smile from a fellow World Racer. Slowly more and more racers started showing up and the laughter started to build in the airport and followed us to the training camp. There I would meet some of the sweetest, most real, spiritually hungry people I have ever met. I was sad that I would only have 10 days to get to know 49 great people! Here are some experiences we shared!
(Camp Grounds at Training Center)
For breakfast one morning we were blessed with bread, eggs, and roasted crickets. Side note once you got past the texture it tasted like sun flower seeds!
My first and second bucket shower went terrible. One my first bucket shower attempt as I pulled my clothes off the rack, my ONLY pair of shorts fell into the full bucket of water. The next day I was in high hopes that the worst of a bucket shower had already happened but I was wrong. Let me start off by saying it had been a very hot Georgia day and I smelt very bad. As I was about to apply the glorious smelling soap bar to my arm I dropped the glorious soap and it slid through a small crack in the floor where the water runs off and went straight outside. No soap for Marissa.
Oh did I forget to mention the lice outbreak…. This was not a drill fokes!
(Lice Check!)
There are “scenarios” at the training camp based on real things that have happened in the field. For example, the airport “lost” my luggage for a day. So I only had what I had in my day pack, which I completely emptied that morning. So I didn’t have my toothbrush, clean cloths, tent, hammock, I didn’t really have anything. But my wonderful squadmate allowed my smelly self to stay in her tent.
We slept in an “airport” in South Korea during the day. Which was simulated in our classroom with around 90 people sleeping shoulder to shoulder with the lights on and airport noises playing…Loudly…very, very loudly.
(Airport was full!)
We also were in a “market” in India trying to bargain for our dinner while trying to keep an eye on our belongings, being cautious of “robbers, gypsies, homeless, crazy taxi drivers, American party tourist, and fellow missionaries.” The van had a megaphone that someone was a yelling into. It was not like a walmart run at all.
(Market Scenario)
It was also my first camping experience in which I LOVED! We were able to spend the night in a state park. There we made our own shelter and cooked our dinner on a fire pit. We danced and learned more about each other and even broke out into song.
I also got to find out who I would be spending the next year with on my team! They are the SWEETEST group of girls who I can not wait to learn from! Each one is unique and beautiful in their own special way! I give you the Panda Rangers!!
(Myself, Jen, Rashelle, Taylor, Jaclyn,
Tori, Alli)
(Panda Rangers Unite!)
I am sure that these are just the beginning of crazy/ funny stories I will be able to share with you and my new World Race family. I love my squad and teammates!
